


So Many Wonderful Things To Come

by mansikka



Series: Finding Love (and other cures for life’s misfortunes) [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Timestamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 15:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21659302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alec and Magnus prepare to spend Christmas with their family.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Finding Love (and other cures for life’s misfortunes) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561465
Comments: 10
Kudos: 91





	So Many Wonderful Things To Come

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LazyGeisha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyGeisha/gifts).

> Hello! Back in October-ish, I asked readers who wanted festive prompts to enter a 'raffle' of sorts for five prompts. LazyGeisha _won_ the prompt for **_timestamp_** and this is the result!

"Okay. I think that's the very last of them."

Magnus sits back on his haunches to watch Alec balance the last gift-wrapped parcel on the dining table, sure it is bowing in half for the weight of gifts. He picks up the last stray strands of shredded paper the floor following their afternoon spent gift wrapping and stands to join him, absently straightening up their packages.

"Do you think we have enough?" Magnus asks, only partly in tease.

"Oh," Alec says, tugging Magnus to tuck into his side so they can look at the mound together, "these are only the ones we're taking with us. You and me, we have another stack of presents to open in the bedroom still. Maybe some _for_ the bedroom."

"Ones we shouldn't be opening in front of impressionable young minds," Magnus agrees thinking of the three things he's bought for Alec that really are for his eyes only. Alec's wink says he has equally intriguing gifts to give him back.

"Exactly."

"How do you have Scotch tape in your hair?" Magnus asks in fond exasperation as he reaches up to carefully pull it free.

Alec ducks to help him then shrugs, wrapping his fingers around Magnus' waist and pulling him flush against him. "Magnus. Are you sure about this?"

"What?"

"Us. Staying at Jace and Clary's overnight."

"Well. It'll be easier. We needed to be there early so we can supervise the cooking. Or do most of it," Magnus amends, thinking of a dinner recently at Jace and Clary's that had resulted in takeout and the distinct linger of burning in the air as they ate. 

Alec laughs and groans, briefly letting his eyes fall closed. "Yeah. I think it's just easier if I do it. We don't want to still be waiting for Christmas dinner at midnight, or something."

"And besides," Magnus adds as Alec sways him, "I am sure our niece and nephew have very particular ideas about just how early we wake up to check if Santa has been."

"True."

Cameron in particular, Magnus thinks, since he is four, while Lily is only just a few months old. Just last week when he was dropping off a mix of bath oil for Clary, Cameron had taken him by the hand to show him the Christmas tree for the fourth time, pointing out all of the presents he thought were _his_. There is a Christmas card to Alec and Magnus from Cameron twinkling at them from across the room currently that is mostly glitter. And every day this month Cameron has called them, insisting they need to know both the contents of his advent calendar and how many days there are to go until the big day. It's impossible not to be invested in Christmas with such excitement all around them.

Madzie is just as excited despite being a little older, shy when she'd practiced her songs for the Christmas concert at school in front of them but showing no such bashfulness as she demonstrated how she would twirl across the stage. Magnus and Alec both cried a little as they watched her up on that stage taking picture after proud picture, thankful for the tissues Catarina pushed into their hands.

Even Max has the Christmas spirit, though he is pretending he doesn't. He is eighteen now, after all, and has to _act_ like he's not interested.

"Okay," Alec says then, snapping his thoughts back from wandering, "so."

"So."

"We've taken Maia's gift to her already."

"We did," Magnus agrees, remembering their _quick drink_ at Maia's new apartment becoming almost an all-nighter, where he and Alec had been very grateful for his hangover remedy the following morning.

"And Raphael has his," Alec adds, wincing a little, likely for remembering their usual poker night getting a _little_ tipsy and dissolving into drunken singing, needing even more of that hangover remedy. The festive season has been so much more fun since Alec came into his life, though Magnus thinks this particular year has been a little trying on their livers.

"He does," Magnus agrees, doing as Alec seems to be doing; going through a mental gift list checking things off. 

"What did Dot name the Maneki-neko we bought her for the Lucky Cat?" 

"Clarence," Magnus replies, still amused that Dot thought the cat looked more like an angel, hence the name. The Lucky Cat is looking amazing; hand-crafted decorations hang from every surface, and a beautiful tree sits in one corner. There is a homely feel to it that is different than the one Magnus had created for himself there, though it is still a warm, welcoming store filled with both laughter and peace. They took Dot _her_ Christmas gift just yesterday, sharing slices of stollen from the bakery opposite along with some excellent brandy while stood at the counter while Dot was serving. They'd only meant to go in for a quick hello after Alec finished work, but didn't get home until almost ten.

They've been so busy. They are having a sort of second Christmas with Catarina and Madzie in a couple of days, and are having some sort of pre-New Year thing with Steven and his boyfriend Charles. Who will likely be his fiance in a couple of days, Magnus thinks to himself for Alec telling him Steven is about to propose. And after that, they are having a New Years' party right here in their apartment. January they are going to eat nothing but fruit and vegetables, and drink only water, Magnus is adamant. Though kidding himself.

"Izzy and Simon are getting there about eleven tomorrow," Alec adds with a slightly exasperated sigh that catches' Magnus' attention. 

"What is it?" Magnus asks, adjusting a button on Alec's shirt, then taking their coffee cups from earlier through to the kitchen along with the balled-up shredded paper balled up in his fist.

"Well. They could come earlier to help with dinner for a start," Alec says as he follows him, absently putting away dishes from the draining rack.

"You want your sister to help you with _dinner_?" Magnus asks, horrified, even if he is only teasing. Mostly. Izzy is _banned_ from their kitchen whenever she comes over, for an incident that Magnus tries desperately to forget involving soup.

"Absolutely _not_. But even she can… I don't know. Make drinks. Help pick up all that gift wrap that's gonna be _everywhere_."

"Well. Perhaps she and Simon have plans we aren't aware of."

Simon's accountancy firm seems to have been celebrating Christmas since November; Magnus has lost count of the times he and Izzy haven't been able to make plans with them for _having work drinks_. And just the thought of the look on Izzy's face after _her_ work Christmas party is almost enough to turn Magnus' stomach. Perhaps he and Alec don't need to cut back on their drinking even half as much as she and Simon do.

"More like, they're out tonight and will be hungover as hell," Alec retorts, as though he is reading his mind.

Magnus raises his hand telling him to pause, taking a jug from the fridge and filling a bottle with his hangover remedy. He must have made a gallon of it this month. "Well, just in case," he says, waving the bottle, catching Alec's smile.

"Even Mom and Luke said they'd be there by nine."

"Well. That is just because they want to fuss over grandchildren. Spoil them with yet another round of gifts."

"They do, yeah," Alec agrees, straightening up a dishtowel on its hook. 

"Look at you, not flinching at the mere mention of Luke's _name_," Magnus teases, earning himself a pout that he has to kiss off Alec's face.

"Yeah, well. He's a good guy. And he makes Mom happy. I can't be angry at him for that."

"Especially after all these years?"

"What is this, our sixth Christmas together?" Alec says as he hooks his elbows over Magnus' shoulders.

"And our third being married," Magnus agrees as he leans against him.

Alec hums, grinning to himself before pulling him into a hug. His constant affection for Magnus hasn't faded at all over those years; if anything, it has only grown. Being married to Alec is the most wonderful gift Magnus could ever have imagined in his life, and Alec buys him some amazing gifts. He is _very_ curious to see what gifts are waiting for him in the bedroom closet.

"So _they've_ officially been together… almost five?" Alec asks.

"That seems right, yes."

"Then, I suppose I can be at least a _little_ courteous."

Magnus knows Alec's idea of _courteous_ and laughs for it. It always amazes him how Alec can go from being this wonderful friend to Luke any time he is away from his mother, to exhibiting almost brattish behavior around him when they're together. Though if Luke wouldn't look quite as _guilty_ as he always does then perhaps it wouldn't invite Alec's teasing.

"That is your choice, Alexander," he says, knowing that particular glint in his eye. He has mischief planned for Luke, it's obvious.

Alec groans then, dropping his head on Magnus' shoulder and squeezing him tight. "I guess we should get going."

"You don't want to?"

"I do. I just… Magnus, we've been so busy this week, I feel like we've not had more than an hour alone."

"We just spend almost two hours together wrapping presents," Magnus points out when Alec pulls back to look at him.

"Exactly. Two hours _doing_ something. When was the last time we didn't have to do anything and just… were here?"

Alec really is adorable when he pouts. Magnus can't resist kissing him for it, taking Alec's hands in his own.

"Well. If you allow me to give you _one_ of your Christmas gifts early, perhaps our lack of time together won't seem so… _bleak_."

"It's never _bleak_," Alec says, squeezing his hands back, "but _yes_."

Magnus squeezes to let go, smiling as Alec follows him back into the living room and watches as he unzips his overnight bag. "I was going to give you this tonight when we'd gone to bed," he says, taking out an envelope and pressing it into Alec's hands.

Alec carefully slides the envelope open pulling out the thick, embellished card inside, reading the details inside it then looking at Magnus in delight. "Seriously?"

"I agree; our time together of late has been a little rushed. And it will continue to be, I imagine, until we get back to normal sometime in January. Though three days away in a hotel with an excellent spa might make up for it, don't you think?"

Magnus' work typically picks up just before Thanksgiving, with people beginning to panic about getting the perfect holiday gifts. He's been working almost flat out in the lead up to Christmas aside from attending a few social events, like Alec's work Christmas dinner. They _both_ deserve at least a little time away from everything.

"It will. _Thank _you," Alec says softly, bending to kiss him on the cheek.

"I booked us train tickets so that even if we are still recovering from our New Year celebrations, neither one of us needs to drive. It's a little under three hours to get from here to Port Jefferson. It should be a nice, though short journey."

"Perfect."

"Your mother has already offered to take Chairman Meow," Magnus adds spying the pet carrier by the table. Chairman Meow probably fears a vet visit is due and is therefore hiding. He'll feel differently when at Clary and Jace's being fed scraps of ham, Magnus is sure.

"You really have thought of everything, huh?"

"Well. One or two things," Magnus replies with a wink.

"Whereas I'm still figuring out what I'm supposed to say to Clary to make anything sound any better," Alec adds with a sigh and a frown that drops again for him rereading the itinerary Magnus has put together for them.

Magnus squeezes his arm in support, not knowing what he's supposed to say to Clary either. Lily is barely five months, and Jace has just been informed he's being posted back overseas. They have Christmas together, then about another week before they'll have to say goodbye to him again. Alec thinks this might be his final tour, though Magnus thinks that might just be wishful thinking on his part to have Jace home for good.

"Well. We will figure that out," Magnus says as he watches Alec slot everything back into his envelope then put it into his bag to take with them. "But for now, I suppose all we can do is enjoy Christmas together, and give Clary the support we can."

"We can babysit," Alec says immediately, with a special kind of light in his eyes for thinking of his nephew and niece.

"It will be good practice," Magnus agrees, sure _his_ eyes now reflect Alec's excitement for the thought of _them_ becoming parents. They are at the beginning of the adoption process, in the first weeks of the home study. It is incredible to think that if they are lucky, they could be celebrating Christmas with their own child next year. 

"It will," Alec says, so full of hope, and joy, and love, that sometimes Magnus could cry for how happy he is. But he won't, not on Christmas Eve, not with his _husband_; especially when they have so many wonderful things to come. 


End file.
